Car-brake



(No Model.)

' J. 0. SGHUMAOHER.

OAR BRAKE.

Patented Mar. 29, 1887.

220 may? @NTTED STATES PATENT @rrrcn.

JOHN C. SCHUMACHER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CAR -BRAKE.

GZ ECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 360,054, dated March 29, 1887.

Application filed February 17, 1887. Serial No. 227,969. (No model.)

T 0 all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN G. SCHUMAOHER, a citizenof the United States, residing at Chicago, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Brakes, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to make an automatic brake for railway and other cars which will apply the brakes to the wheels of the cars whenever the locomotive or other motive power is not pulling or pushing the cars; and my invention consists in the features and details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation ofa longitudinal vertical section of a portion of a car. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the parts which contain the actuatingspring by which the brakes are set, showing the chains, connecting-rods, and other parts; and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same with the Spring in place.

In the drawings, A is the frame-work of the car; B, the draw-bar; O, the hand brake-rod; D, the fixedblock or head which receives the pressure of one end of the actuating-spring; d, the spindle or projection from the head D, around which the end of the actuating-spring is coiled; E, the movable head which bears against and compresses the actuating-spring; e, a spindle or projection on the same,around which one end ofthe actuating-spring is coiled; F, a chain fastened to the movable head or block E, passing around a pulley in the stationary head or block D back to a lug or arm on the end of the draw-bar; G, such lug or arm; H, a supplementary chain connecting the chain F with the hand brake-rod; I, rods passing from the movable headblocl; E through a stationary headblock, D; J, a link connecting such rods with a pivoted lever, K; L, a rod connecting the pivoted lever K with one of the brake-beams; M, a fulcrum or pivot on the other bral e-beani,over which the lever K operates, and N the rod or rods which connect the brake mechanism at one end of the car with the brake mechanism at the other.

In making my improved automatic brakes I take any ordinary car street or railway equipped with the usual draw-bar and other parts, and locate or place under the car and over the truck a stationary block or'headpiece, D. This piece is preferably located in the center of the car from side to side. It is provided with a slot, as shown in Fig. 2, to enable it to be inserted without removing the king-bolt or disconnecting the car from the truck. This slot permits the portions of the block 13 to he slid back on each side of the kingbolt until the end of the slot is reached. I preferably provide a depending piece to this block D,which I have marked D, which,when the piece is inserted,will rest against and form a facing to the cross-beam under the car, through which the king-bolt passes to the truck. This depending portion of the block D, thus resting against the cross-beam, effect ually prevents the piece from being moved or pushed further back. Extending forward from this depending portion of the block D is a spindle, (Z, adapted to receive the coiled end of a coiled spring. Rods I pass longitudinally through this block D, as shown in Fig. 2, so that they can slide back and forth. The forward ends of these rods I pass through and are secured by nuts to a movable block or headpiece, 1, which is also provided with a depending portion, E. Extending out from this depending portion E of the movable block E is a spindle, e. facing and in line with the spindle (l. Vhen in position this movable block faces the stationary block, with room between them to contain a coiled spring of such size and power as may be desired to set the brake and force it against the wheels of the car to produce the proper and necessary retardation. This coiled spring rests on and is supported by the spindles d and c, as shown in Figs. 1 and 8. A chain or cable, F, is fastened to the lower portion of the movable block E and passes back and around a pulley located in the lower portion of the block D, whence it passes forward and is attached to a depending lug or arm, G, on thedraw-bar of the car. A supplementary chain or cable, H passes from the chain or cable F to the hand brake-rod 0, where it is attached in the usual way. The end of the draw-bar B, when in its normal position-- neither pulled forward nor pushed back wardpermits the spring between the blocks D and 'E to expand to its full capacity. When thus expanded,the movable block E is pushed forward, carrying with it the rodsl, which, through the link J, draw forward the upper end of the lever K. Thislever is pivoted upon a fulcrum, M, projecting from the brake-beam, as shown in Fig. 1. The lower end of the lever is attached through means of the rod. L to the other brakebeam. As the upper end of the lever K is drawn forward by the expansion of the spring, as above explained, its lower end will be drawn backward, and with it, through means of the rod L, will be drawn the other brake-beam, so as to bring the other brakeshoes into frictional contact with their appropriate wheels. As this operation takes place the brakebeam on which the pivoted lever K is fulcrumed is of course pushed forward, so that its brake shoes are also brought into frictional contact with their appropriate wheels. In this way the expansion ofthe spring between the heads D and E causes the brakes to be automatically set. As above explained, this expansion of the spring occurs when the drawbar is in its normal position-neither pulled forward nor pushed backward. When it is pulled forward as the locomotive or other power exerts its force to draw the car, the lug or arm G is drawn forward as the draw-bar advances, and with it that portion of the chain F which is attached to such lug or arm. This will draw the movable block E back and compress the spring, and as the spring is compressed the rods I are released from pressure and the pivoted lever K passes back into its normal position,and the pressure on the wheels of the car is released. There can therefore, aslong as the locomotive or other motive power is actively and positively drawing the car forward, be no pressure of the brakes on the wheels. As soon as the active and positive pulling of the car ceases by relaxing the speed of the locomotive or other motive power, the draw-bar ceases to pull the chain F forward, the spring expands, and the brakes are set. If, on the other hand. the locomotive be reversed and propelled in the other direction to back the train, the draw-bar will be pushed back against the piece E, which will compress the spring and release the pressure of the brakes,as before. \Vhether the motive power be pulling the train or whether it be backing the train, the spring will be compressed and the brakes free; but the moment the active pulling or pushing of the car ceases the spring will expand and the brakes will be set. Thus all that is necessary to set the brakes automatically is for the locomotive or other motive power to cease actively and positively pulling or pushing.

In cases where it may be desirable to release the brake byhand, as in the case of a flying switch, a brake-rod extending up to the top of the car is provided in the usual manner. By turning this rod the brakemancan draw the chain, compress the spring, and revention when applied to one end of the car,

as it is obvious that all that is required to apply it to each end of the car is to duplicate and connect the parts, which I have provided for by the connecting-rod N. (Shown as broken oif in Figs. 1 and 2.) Of course various mechanical changes can be made in the construction and arrangement of the various parts which I have described in connection with my improved automatic brakes, and I do not wish, therefore, to confine myself precisely to that arrangement or construction.

The essential feature or idea of my invention consists in the principle of releasing the brake by a positive pulling or pushing of the drawbar and of setting the brakes by the cessation of such pulling or pushing.

What I regard as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In automatic car-brakes, the combina tion of two head-blocks, an interposed spring holding in its normal position such headblocks at their farthest separation, brakes bearing against the car-wheels as the headblocks are separated, and means for connecting the brakes with the head'blocks, substantially as described.

2. In automatic car-brakes, the combination of two head-blocks, an interposed spring compressible as the head-blocks approach each other, brakes receding from the car-wheels as the head-blocks approach, a draw-bar which causes the head-blocks to approach as the car is pushed or pulled, and means for connecting the brakes with the head-blocks, substantially as described.

3. In automatic car-brakes, the combination of a stationary head-block, a movable headblock, an interposed spring, brakes,an l means for connecting the brakes with the movable head-block, whereby they are drawn against the wheels as the spring expands and away from the wheels as the spring is compressed, substantially as described.

4. In automatic car-brakes, the combination of a stationary head-block, a movable headblock, an interposed spring, brakes, a drawbar, and chains connecting the movable headblock with the draw-bar, whereby as th e draw bar is advanced the movable head-block is receded and the spring compressed, substantially as described.

5. In automatic car-brakes, the combination of a stationary head-block, a movable headbloek, an interposed spring, brakes, and a draw-bar whose end bears against the movable head-block and compresses the spring as the car is backed, substantially as described.

JOHN C. SCHUMAGHER.

\Vitnesses:

FRANK L. DOUGLAS, GEORGE C. Coon.

IIO 

